Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Leones they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Leones know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Leones they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Leones know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Leones, and 0 appearances in 13 say he has earned the hearing.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Leones they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Leones know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Leones have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Leones, and 0 appearances in 9 say he has earned the hearing.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Leones they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Leones know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Leones, and 0 appearances in 5 say he has earned the hearing.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Leones have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Leones know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Leones can pretend not to have heard.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Leones can pretend not to have heard.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Every debut is a small story about the future: Ismael López, 19 years old, off the academy pitches and into the first team. The parents in the stand will keep the programme.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Depor defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
What was a back-page story is now a matter for the terraces, and the terraces do not do nuance. Leones would like it dealt with before it becomes the only question anybody asks.
He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at Leones pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Leones have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Leones have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Óscar Segura will call it something else in private.
Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — Cristian Rodríguez has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Leones know, and have known for weeks.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Leones have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Leones can pretend not to have heard.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Leones have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Barranquilla defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
The shirt still fits. Sergio Mina is back at Leones, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
The shirt still fits. Oscar Herrera is back at Leones, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
The shirt still fits. Nicolas Giraldo is back at Leones, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
The shirt still fits. Cristian Giraldo is back at Leones, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Leones have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Leones know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Luis Caicedo has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Leones can pretend not to have heard.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Leones can pretend not to have heard.
Everything was agreed until it was not, and Juan David Ruiz reports back to Leones with a summer to forget. Neither club is saying who walked away from the table.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
49 months left and silence from upstairs — no offer, no talks, nothing for his people to answer. Clubs that let a calendar do their negotiating usually end up negotiating with the calendar.
Deportivo Pasto pay $100.0K, and the deal is done. The number reads well on a balance sheet; whether it reads well on the pitch is next season's question.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Leones can pretend not to have heard.
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Leones has been clear about where Johan Martínez stands, which is more than many ever get.
The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Santiago Martínez may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.
Everything was agreed until it was not, and Juan José Castaño reports back to Leones with a summer to forget. Neither club is saying who walked away from the table.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Leones is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
A new face in his position, and Miguel Ángel Arboleda suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Leones have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Luis Caicedo arrives at Leones with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Leones has been clear about where Santiago Martínez stands, which is more than many ever get.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Leones can pretend not to have heard.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Miguel Ángel Arboleda plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Cristian Rodríguez plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Santiago Martínez plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Miguel Ángel Arboleda plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Juan José Castaño has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Samuel Posada has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
He came through the session, took part in everything and finished it smiling. Leones will not rush him, and he will spend the next fortnight trying to rush them.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Luis Ceballos has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Juan Felipe Hincapié may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Miguel Ángel Arboleda plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Juan José Castaño may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.
The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Juan Diego Arboleda plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.
He came through the session, took part in everything and finished it smiling. Leones will not rush him, and he will spend the next fortnight trying to rush them.
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Juan Felipe Hincapié has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
Atletico Bucaramanga go through and Leones go home, 0-1 the scoreline that did it. The dressing room will call the league the priority now, because that is what dressing rooms say.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Leones can pretend not to have heard.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Leones, and both men came out saying it was fine.